A Mind's Wanderings
by Anjelle
Summary: A collection of disconnected AU drabbles centring around a variety of nakamaship and romantic pairings. Based around requested prompts. Set as complete but updates sporadically.
1. Mamihlapinatapei

**So I write drabbles on tumblr for when I reblog memes and my followers send in requests, and I thought I'd post them here. They're all manner of AUs and pairings, and some without pairings, so hopefully you'll like them. I already posted a story for all the AceLu drabbles and another for the MarcoAce, so this is everything else XD I'll put the pairing/characters and AU/prompt at the start of every chapter for you guys. Enjoy~**

* * *

**Pairing: KiddLaw**

**Mamihlapinatapei** \- The look between two people in which each loves the other but is too afraid to make the first move.

* * *

University was where Law always saw himself. It only seemed natural that the prodigy would breeze through high school and get full scholarships into the most prestigious post-secondary schools in the country. It was going to be one of those 'poor orphan's life is turned around because of his miraculous intellect' type stories. Everyone knew it.

So why did said orphan find himself working as an assistant at shoddy tattoo parlour?

"Hey, Law! The fuck's my next appointment?"

He sighed, glaring at the man. "Would you like to know whom your next appointment is with or where they currently are? It pays to use proper grammar, Mister Eustass."

The man snorted as he prepped his station, his last client having just left. "Smart-ass."

_No, Mister Eustass, it does not take much intelligence to mock you._

He supposed this was a perfect example of how warped the world could be, every one of his hopes turned to dust in a matter of days. Illness and the death of a close, personal friend took its toll and, through grief and depression, he fell behind. But one more year, he reasoned. He couldn't graduate that year, but he could still make it next. Then his dream could begin. Then he could study to become a doctor, just as he always strived for.

"Hey, Racoon," Kidd bellowed from his station, moving to his work desk to grab the next design he was to ink, "send 'em in."

The assistant rolled his eyes at his employer's most recent nickname, instructing the redheaded woman seated in the waiting area to stand. He guided her to the tattooist, glancing down at the the design laid out on the transfer paper. Immediately he elbowed Kidd in the ribs, eliciting a pained moan. The redhead turned on him with a growl and threatening punch. He wasn't fazed.

"_What_?"

"Wrong design," he stated simply. "She wanted a pinwheel, not a shark. Be ashamed for mixing those up, Mister Eustass." The client shared a grateful smile.

Kidd grabbed the paper, embarrassed heat rising to his cheeks. "Shut up, you shit. I knew that."

He closed his eyes. "I'm sure you did," he mocked, walking back to the front desk. Law didn't make it far before a pale hand latched onto his wrist, holding him in place.

"…Thanks."

"Do your job, Mister Eustass, so that I don't have to."

"What?! Why you little—"

He didn't stay to listen to the man's rant, taking his seat only to answer the phone and set up another appointment with the man on the other end. As he talked he glanced up at the stupid, selfish man who employed him, his heart pounding within his chest as he remembered the awkward word of gratitude that passed through those dark lips. Their eyes met from across the room. Immediately they turned away and he was thankful he didn't blush.

Trafalgar Law was a prodigy. He was a man of great intellect with a great future ahead of him. And if he had to wait one more year for that then he would wait, because in the end working there…. it wasn't so bad. His coworkers were interesting and when things got rough, he had an attractive idiot of an employer to keep him entertained.

Not that he would ever say that, of course.

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**Hope you enjoyed, and please leave a review if you can!**

**Adieu~**


	2. Strikhedonia

**Characters: Sabo, Luffy**

**Strikhedonia** \- The pleasure of being able to say "to hell with it".

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Luffy was there, _right there_, across the room. Sabo adjusted his jacket, fixing his hat securely to his head as he watched. He looked so goofy, wearing that disguise. How had he managed to fool anyone? Well, it was Luffy; logic escaped him.

The revolutionary took a hesitant step back. He expected to find his brother there at Dressrosa, had a feeling that welled within him as soon as he saw news of his return. It had been two long years since that battle, since Ace… Well, he knew Luffy was alive. He was the man that was going to become the pirate king, after all.

And there he was, Sabo's precious baby brother. Twelve years. Twelve years they'd been apart. And as that thought remained at the forefront of his mind, he clenched his fist. Was Luffy… mad at him? He'd left them without so much as a warning, leaving behind nothing but a letter as explanation. And then he wasn't there for their brother—wasn't there for Ace. He couldn't count how many times he visited his grave, apologised for being such a horrible brother, but it wasn't enough. No matter how remorseful he felt, he couldn't bring Ace back.

Would Luffy hate him for that?

He shook his head. This was his chance! And he was a member of the revolutionary army! He wasn't going to just wallow in guilt and let the opportunity pass.

Straightening his posture, he stepped forward.

_To hell with it._

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**Adieu~**


	3. Pen Pals AU

**Pairing: FRobin**

**Pen Pals!AU**

* * *

Robin smiled fondly as she ran her hands across the sloppy, black ink scribbled on the front of the envelop. Carefully she opened it, sure to leave the letter inside as she removed and unfolded it. It'd been a while since she last received one, and the young teacher had begun to worry, but, well… everything was okay now. She'd started to think he'd been riddled with holes after getting caught in the middle of a robbery, or perhaps drowned in the ocean while fishing one day.

His handwriting was messier than usual but she welcomed it, the character shining through the jagged, passionate strokes. She hadn't seen him in almost five years, and reading those letters he sent became somewhat of a treat.

_Hey, Robin! How are you? Sorry I haven't written, __there was an__ but I'm SUPER! Hope you can read this. __It's kinda hard to__ I'm __trying my b__testing out my left-handed skills. They're not SUPER. Sorry!_

Her smile fell slightly as she ran her hand across the blacked out words, scribbled out with enough force to tear the paper in some areas.

_How's your teaching been going? You're a prof at the uni now, right? They better be treating you well! OH! Usopp-bro and I have started a body shop. It's not ready to open yet, _we have to wait until I_ but I'll send some pics when it is! It'll be SUPER!_

_How've you been feeling? I know you were sick before. If you need me I'll be over there! Stay in good health! Alright?!_

_OH! Luffy wants to know when you're gonna stop by. It's been FOREVER, right Robin? __I mi__ Everyone misses you. And Chopper got accepted into med school, isn't that SUPER?!_

_Write back soon, alright? We're all waiting to hear from ya._

_L __FROM FRANKY_

She took a deep breath, reading what he didn't intend to send, and grabbed a pen, pressing its tip to the paper and allowing the ink to flow freely as she guided her hand across the page.

_I'll be there as soon as I can, Franky. I miss you, too._

_Love,_

_Robin_

* * *

**So could you tell what Franky was scribblign out, and what happened? I tried to keep it vague, but I'm worried it was too vague ^^;**

**Adieu~**


	4. College AU

**Characters: Sabo, Luffy**

**College!AU**

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"This is so booooooring!" Luffy whined as he threw his hands dramatically into the air, almost sending the textbook on his lap with them. The young man was curled up on the sofa, pouting in the direction of his elder brother. For the most part Sabo ignored his little outburst, never looking up as he sipped from the coffee mug on the table. "Let's go do something!"

That time the blond did look up, a hint of amusement hidden behind the rim of his glasses before he went back to whatever he was reading. "You need to study, Lu. Can't fall behind first semester, right?"

"But Sabooo!"

"No 'buts'," he chastised while turning the page, "school is important."

The younger slouched down in his seat on the couch, groaning his complaints. He'd had about as much studying as he could take and was beginning to wonder why he'd gone to college in the first place. "Ace doesn't go to school," he pointed, "and he's doing fine."

"Ace knows what he has to do to get by."

"So do I."

"Lu," he started, fixing his glasses as he put down his book, "you wouldn't be able to hold a forty hour job for more than a week. That is fact."

"I could so!"

"Nu-uh!"

"Ya-huh!"

"Nope!"

"Yep!"

"I'll see it when I believe it."

"Yeah well—" Luffy cut himself off, staring blankly ahead as he repeated the sentence in his mind, Sabo doing the same as his face heated with a sudden flush of red. "Don't you mean 'believe it when I—'"

"Aaaah," the blond groaned as his head dropped to the table with a loud thud, knocking his glasses askew and causing them to slide down the bridge of his nose, "I can't anymore. I haven't slept in two days."

The younger brother slid from his spot to take the chair beside his sibling, leaving his textbook forgotten on the sofa cushions. He patted Sabo sympathetically on the back. The poor guy worked too hard. He needed to learn how to relax. "You need a break."

"I _need_ a coffee," he grumbled.

"A coffee break?"

The blond froze, raising his head in slow realization as his eyes met his younger brother. "Coffee… That… That's brilliant…"

Luffy laughed, a grin stretching across his face. "Let's go!" he exclaimed, hooking his arm around Sabo's shoulders and tugging him off his chair as fast as he could, determined to get him away from the evils of school. But then, he just had to ask, "Hey, Sabo?"

"What?"

"Since when do you wear glasses?"

The both froze dead in their tracks, the elder removing his spectacles to stare at them intently, brows furrowed. "…Whose _are_ these?"

* * *

**Adieu~**


	5. Zombie AU

**Back with another tumblr drabble! This is actually the fist time I wrote Hancock... OTL**

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**Pairing: LuHan**

**Zombie!AU**

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She walked with cool, unrivalled confidence amidst a sea of cries and battle, heels clacking against the ground with every step she took. Her eyes never left the one in front of her even as the stench of rotting flesh overran her senses as the enemy approached. She didn't care to look at his face, never bothered glimpsing him as she raised a graceful leg, whipping it around and sending a heel through his rotted flesh.

Again and again as they approached she took them down with little effort and marched on towards the only one who held her focus—a young man fighting on his own amidst a field of _filth _and decay. Her pace quickened, mouth pulled taut and brow furrowed.

One of the rotting masses of filth tackled the boy to the ground and held him there and she was _seething_, a snarl passing her lips as she ran and twirled, her hair whipping around as she kicked the man off the other. She stood before the boy, facing away with her leg raised and hands on her hips.

"How _dare_ you touch my beloved? How _dare_ you try to hurt him?" She bend back almost impossibly, pointing at the zombie that had yet to stand and looking down on him with a glare. "I am outraged! You shall _never_ lay your hands on him again, filth!"

The boy heft himself up and looked at her with a bright, impossibly-wide grin. "Thanks, Hammock! That was close, shishishi!"

Immediately her back straightened, a rosy blush colouring her ivory skin as she smiled shyly back at the boy, her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

He leapt up and latched onto her hand, pulling her along, and her heart melted.

"Let's go, Hammock!"

_It's Hancock, Luffy…_ But she didn't mind.

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**Adieu~**


	6. Detention AU

**Characters: Law, Luffy**

**Met in Detention!AU**

* * *

Once more Trafalgar Law found himself leaning back in a desk against the wall in a familiar, vacant classroom, arms crossed and scowl firm on his face. It wasn't rare for him to be stuck there after school—though he wasn't sure why asking _politely_ to dissect a fellow student for a science experiment warranted punishment. He _asked_, after all, and it wasn't like he wouldn't put them back together in the end. He wasn't incompetent.

The teen closed his eyes. He'd missed out on a fair amount of sleep, as per usual. Perhaps that was a good chance to catch up…

The door at the front flung open. "Yo!"

His eyebrow twitched. What an irritating voice. But he could ignore it well enough to sleep… except soon after he heard someone sit in the desk in front of him and felt a pair of eyes watching him. His scowl deepened and he opened his own to glare his hardest at the offending boy. He was a small kid with unnervingly large eyes and a scar beneath one. Law didn't recall seeing him there before.

"Heya," the boy greeted with a grin. "I'm Luffy. Who're you?"

"Go away," he bit out as he slouched more in his chair. "Leave me in peace."

This 'Luffy' fellow didn't seem to heed his demand, continuing to stare. "What're ya in for? I got yelled at for eating in class. 'N sleeping. 'N interrupting the lecture."

Once more he glared. "I've been wrongly accused."

Luffy frowned. "That's no fair! We gotta get you outta here then! Stupid teachers."

And thus began the longest detention of Law's life.

* * *

**Adieu~**


	7. Royalty AU

**Characters: Ace, Sabo, Luffy**

**Royalty!AU**

* * *

Laughter filled the dining hall that day, louder than Sabo ever recalled hearing it. As he glanced around the room he could he the unimpressed faces of the adults seated at the the table, disapproving of the commotion started up by the two young boys seated next to each other across from him. The little one was shovelling food into his mouth, stealing off the elder's plate-who stole it right back with a loud, reprimanding curse-and both ate like that was the last time they'd ever enjoy the taste of real food. Or the first, as the case may have been.

When he heard his parents talking about how the royal guard had finally found the missing heirs, the noble child would have been lying if he said he wasn't a little curious. They'd gone missing as young boys the day the previous king and queen were murdered, and nothing had been seen of them since. Sabo's family was the next to take the throne and they began living in the palace. But there they were, sitting before him and laughing and fighting animatedly as the evening carried on.

They'd lived on the streets, he heard.

It was curious, watching them. They clearly had no manners, no proper decorum, but while the adults seemed repulsed by their behaviour, Sabo found it... quite charming, actually. Refreshing. It actually had him smiling.

Then suddenly, at the realization that his plate was bare, the little one crawled onto the table to reach for more. Some people gasped, spouting insults about the child's 'savage' nature. But Sabo just sat there blinking as the boy came up to him, holding out an expectant, splayed hand. What... did he want?

Looking down, he saw the boy was eyeing his plate. Ah, so that was it. He was still hungry. There was more food to come, though...

Well, whatever. He stabbed his fork into a large piece of meet and handed it to the child, and the grin he was met with was absolutely blinding.

"Shishishi, thanks!"

"Uh, no problem..." The blond's body tensed as he felt eyes on _him_ now, clearly disappointed. Probably from his parents.

"I'm Luffy!" he stated as he tore into the meat, juices dribbling down his chin. "Masss 'yor n'm?"

He raised an eyebrow. "...Pardon?"

Luffy finished chewing and swallowed, trying again, "What's your name?"

"Sabo."

The boy went to open his mouth again but was interrupted by an annoyed voice from behind, "Oi, Lu! Get off the table, that's cheating!"

"But Aaaaace!"

"LU!"

"Fine..." Luffy pouted, crawling backwards to retake his seat next to his elder sibling. No sooner than he did so did servants arrive with more food, and immediately they were digging it once again.

Sabo watched, his appetite gone, and smiled. They were lively. Crude, but fun. He... could get used to this.

* * *

**Adieu~**


	8. Insomnia

**Characters: Dragon, Sabo**

**Insomnia**

* * *

It didn't matter how many days—weeks—passed. His healing burns were hardly a factor, though he was certainly grateful that the horrid pain from the early days had begun to fade. The persistent, dull ache when he stilled was running strong, though.

No, none of that mattered. Because when the midnight hours took over, Sabo found himself restlessly tossing and turning in bed.

Each and every night was the same: the _moment_ he started drifting off, he would have flashes to a night of fire and panic and _screaming_ and hecouldn'tbreathe—

And he would wake up. Again and again and again.

The boy pursed his lips, his hand absently reaching for his throat after waking in a cold sweat. He could feel the crush of the water pushing him down, down, down, deeper—_forcing_ its way into his lungs—and that _terrified_ him.

But that was nothing compared to the worry for his brothers that plagued his thoughts. They were… okay, right? No, they _had_ to be. He trusted they'd gotten out of the fire. So… they were fine.

…Then why was he met with so much unease?

With a tired huff, Sabo sat up in bed, scowling at the door. He looked to his right where his roommate—Koala—slept soundlessly. Careful not to wake her, he pushed off the covers and slid off the bed, heading for the door.

There was a balcony on the fourth floor not too far from there, and he thought maybe he could get some fresh air out there.

And, of course, Dragon was there, overlooking the sea. That was typical of the man—though he still wasn't _entirely_ sure of what to think of him.

In any case, the revolutionary had garnered his respect.

Sabo took the space beside the one who'd saved him.

"I take it you couldn't sleep."

He frowned, staring out at the water before heaving an exhausted sigh, a hand reaching up to rub the dark circles beneath one of his eyes. "Can I _ever_?"

Dragon's mouth curled upward ever so slightly, and he leaned on the rail. "Not typically, no. What is it this time?"

"My brothers," he answered quietly. It wasn't the whole truth—the whole 'near death experience' thing was still ripe in his mind—but it wasn't a lie, either. And… it was bothering him most. "There's three of us, and we made a pact—to set out and be free. Only… I left without them."

Dragon was silent, and so he continued, smiling. "I hope they aren't too mad about that. Bet Ace'll punch me next time he sees me. Luffy might, too."

Dark eyes scrolled to the blond, watching him intently. "Luffy, is it?"

"Yeah," he answered prompt with a nod. "Our little brother. I just… I'm worried about them, I guess. Ace, he's so reckless, and—"

Again he sighed. He'd been doing a lot of that lately.

"They'll be fine."

Sabo blinked, blue eyes turning from the ocean to the tall man standing before him. "…Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"How do you know?"

The man just smirked in response, never giving him a straight answer. But he _did_ speak. "You said you wanted to be a pirate?"

"Ah, yeah. I did."

Dragon looked at him then, and Sabo actually felt a bit intimidated through his haze of exhaustion. "Is that really what you want?"

* * *

**Adieu~**


	9. SaboAce: Cats

**So this time it's a little different. This was actually a Christmas present for mah-blackberreh, rather than a prompt. So I hope you all enjoy!**

**Pairing: SaboAce**

* * *

Sabo sneezed. He'd been doing a lot of that, and he wasn't exactly sure why. The dead of winter was hardly allergy season and, well, he didn't _feel_ all that sick… But again he sneezed. And again, and again, and he was starting to get irritated.

Rubbing his head, now aching with pressure, the blond closed the book he'd been trying-and failing-to read, heaving a disheartened sigh as he rose from his seat and shuffled over to the bookshelf to return it to its proper place. He slipped it between two others and then winced, a sudden pain stabbing at his leg. Blue orbs scrolling down to analyze the cause, he stared. And it stared back.

"ACE!" he shouted, the thing still latched firmly onto his pant leg as he spun around, storming out of the lounge and into the kitchen, and narrowly missing the body rushing his way. Both froze, and he glared up at his brother, pointing down at the _thing_ stuck to him. "Ace, what is _this_?"

Ace gave him one of those wise-ass smirks he was so prone to, trying to brush off the impending look of dread that was on his face just seconds earlier. "That? That right there's called a 'cat', Bo."

With an expressive roll of his eyes, Sabo folded his arms across his chest in a show of just how much that answer _amused _him. "Very observant of you. Why is it _here_?"

"Why _not_ here?"

"_Ace-_"

"Alright, alright." Heaving an explosive sigh, the eldest rubbed the back of his neck, staring down at the little monster now batting at a loose string hanging off the fabric of the blond's pants. "Found him in my room this morning. Snuck in through the window, I think."

He tapped his foot.

"And-and I couldn't just kick him out! He was hungry!"

Sabo heaved a sigh. "Have you fed him?" When his brother shook his head solemnly, he assumed that was the reason they'd been in the kitchen and the cat, being a cat, decided to take off running and attack him when he stood up. "Good. Now put him back where you found him before he gets attached."

Ace blinked, a hopeful gleam in his eyes. "My room?"

"_Outside_," he corrected, rubbing smooth circles into his temple. "Don't think for a second I believe that weak 'came in through the window' story."

"Why not?"

"Because you used it with the last cat you brought in. And the squirrel, and the rabbit and the _dog_ and-"

"But it's true!"

"Bullshit it is!" Sabo rubbed his eyes, the burning irritation that he was feeling a good indicator that they were bloodshot, and when he looked back up at his sibling he was only met with pleading pools of grey, begging him to reconsider. "That's not going to work. _Luffy's_ the cute one."

"But Sabo-"

"_No_, Ace," he stated firmly. "You know I'm allergic."

As though in protest to his rejection, the cat dug its claws back into his leg and he winced, bending down to try to pry it off of him-to no avail, as with each pull the claws just seemed to dig in deeper and the pain only worsened. With a noise of frustration he looked up to Ace expectantly, only to see his brother standing firm and never once making a move to assist.

"_Really_, Ace?"

"Come on," his sibling prodded, "he wants to stay. See?"

Sabo glared, unimpressed, and lowered his hands with a sigh. "You're an ass, you know that?"

That smirk was back, and it just made the blond want to smack it off his face. "Always."

He groaned. "Fine, alright, but _only_ tonight. I don't know how much of this I can take…" As though to back up his words, he sneezed again. "Have you fed him?"

Ace blinked, finally helping to wrench the claws from Sabo's skin, the cat squirming and still trying to bat at the string as it was pulled free. "Uh, nope. Was gonna see what we had in the fridge."

The blond pressed his fingers to his poor, victimized leg. "Go pick up some cat food; I don't trust you not to poison him."

"Oi!"

Rising to his feet, Sabo eyed the little menace in his brother's arms, and he swore it glared back at him, declaring him its natural enemy-a fitting term, considering his allergy. "I have to ask, though… Why so insistent on keeping _this_ one?"

Ace just grinned. "He reminded me of you."

Before he could ask for some sort of elaboration on that answer, he found his brother leaning in, the soft, warm touch of lips against his own. It didn't last, they didn't linger, and soon Ace was reeling back, shoving the cat into the blond's arms and heading for the door. "I'll get the stuff, then."

"Cat food," he supplied, resisting another urge to sneeze.

"Yeah, yeah. See ya, Bo."

The front door slammed shut, Sabo left blinking at the space his brother stood moments before. '_Reminded me of you' he said._ Looking down at the fiend with furrowed brows, he tried to see just what Ace was talking about. Really, what a stupid notion…

But then, amidst the angry ball of white fur, his sight came to settle on the patch of orange over one of the cat's eyes. Slowly, he raised his fingers to his face, running the pads along the marred skin of his left cheek, and found himself smiling. What a hopeless brother he had…

Another sneeze ruined the moment, and he promptly dropped the cat. "Get out of my house, damn it!"


	10. Imagination

**So I wrote this months ago and just now realised that I apparently never posted it... oops**

**Characters: Marco, Ace, Thatch**

**Imagination**

* * *

He was looking out over the water, leaning his weight onto the rail as his eyes skirted over the roiling waves, the Moby slicing through ocean as it sailed. He smiled, allowing his lids to flutter closed as a sudden breeze rushed past, the faint spray of ocean mist cool against his skin, just as it always was, just as it always had been. The crew was silent, most still below deck so early in the morning, the first beams of sunlight just now breaking the horizon. It was a small grace, knowing that he'd be left to his thoughts until the cooks woke and readied breakfast for the rest of his men. It gave him time to think.

Marco felt the way the air heated, a wave of warmth surging towards him and making him feel secure. He recognised that warmth, his smile broadening as he heard the creak of weight being pressed down against the rail, the air around him shifting. He could remember it like yesterday.

"What're you doing, out here all alone?" Ace asked, the grin ever-prominent in the tone of his voice.

"The same thing I do every morning, yoi," he answered simply, taking in a deep breath and scenting the salt from the ocean.

He never missed the snicker he earned, or the way the wood creaked as the other shifted to look at him. "I don't get you sometimes. Is it really that fun, standing out here all by your lonesome?"

"No," he admitted with a smile, "but I'm not alone now, am I?"

"...This is a good point."

"I make a lot of those, yoi."

"Oh shut up, old man."

He laughed, hearing the other snort, and at the same time the approach of footsteps caught his ear, a weighted gait behind them as they stopped right at his back. This he knew well, too. "Marco, buddy! Thought you'd keep me company in the kitchens." Thatch's voice was always the most nostalgic, taking back to a time when he was far from being Oyaji's first mate, back when they had both first joined the crew. Sometimes he missed those days…

"I don't remember saying that, yoi."

"You did, Pineapple-man," he stated with a pout. "What about you? Care to join me?"

He heard Ace's snort as he turned to face the redhead. "Got nothing better to do, since the flaming chicken's hell bent on watching the sunrise."

Ace pushed off the rail and joined the cook, his brothers disappearing into the cabin towards the back of the ship, and he heaved a sigh as he opened his eyes. Gone again, were they? Well… it was nice, while it lasted.

He missed the company.

"Cap'n," one of the men called, and Marco turned around to see one of his newer brothers standing stiffly in front of him.

He smiled. "What is it, yoi?"

The man seemed to relax at that, his shoulders slumping in relief, and he rubbed the back of his neck. "I… you were talking to yourself, so I just wanted to make sure you were okay…"

The smile stretched and he strode over, stretching as he started towards the cabin. "It's nothing, yoi. Just enjoying the morning with some old friends."

* * *

**Adieu~**


	11. Writer

**So this is another drabble I seem to have forgotten to post on here *cough* A lovely reader pointed it out to me on tumblr, so here you go!**

**Characters: Sabo, Koala**

**Writer**

* * *

It was a known fact that the boy Dragon brought in many years before had an oddly consistent habit of sneaking awake in the dead of night. More than a few times Koala found herself returning late from her duties to see a golden light seeping out from a crack beneath the door at the end of the hall. The first few times she thought nothing of it–people stayed up all the time–but the more often she saw it, the more curious she got. And then, when she found out it was his room, well…

Koala had never met Dragon's right-hand man. She'd, of course, heard stories, but as she was a newer member of the revolutionary army and their schedules never seemed to coincide, they'd never been formally introduced.

On that night, as expected, she spotted that same, familiar glow from the crack under the door. It lit up the floor, her shoes, and for the first time she changed direction, heading toward instead of past it. The door wasn't fully closed and she pushed it open slightly, peeking inside.

A blond was slumped on the desk against the far wall, his arms splayed across its top, soft snores passing through the space between them. He didn't look very secure, like he was going to fall over with the slightest of nudges, and against her better judgement she stepped into the room, over to the boy, and righted him to keep him stable.

So that was the second in command, huh? He was young–probably no older than herself–and she wondered how someone like that could hold such a high position of power. He would need a lot of talent, and a lot of dedication…

Her eyes trailed to the papers splayed across the desk and beneath the blond's arms to the blotch of black ink slowly growing on one of the pages. With a sigh, Koala lifted the pen from his hand and placed it down beside him, daring to glance down at the ruined page. It didn't look like part of a report for work. The handwriting was really lovely, though, and she wondered what it said…

The commanding officer stirred and she let out a surprised yelp. When he didn't immediately rise, Koala let out a relieved breath. She set about gathering the papers into a neat, organized pile, her eyes catching on the occasional word as she did so–names, mostly. Ace, Luffy…

Eyeing the sleeping man cautiously, she flipped through the papers. She knew she really shouldn't, as she could get into a serious amount of trouble, but, well… that never stopped her before. And as she skimmed them, her face softened. All were recounts of his days, all were detailed descriptions of his adventures.

All for this 'Ace' and 'Luffy'. His brothers.

Placing them down on the corner of the desk, she slipped out quietly and shut the door behind her, staring out into the blackness of the hall, her thoughts becoming contemplative.

A smile crossed her lips. She's have to find a way to get properly introduced to him–to this 'Sabo' who was no older than herself, yet was committed enough to hold the title of second in command.

Even when it kept him from the ones he cherished most.

* * *

**Adieu~**


End file.
